Tuesday, 24 April 2007
Writing Job Descriptions, Creating & Selecting Competencies
Before You Begin. Before you begin writing (or re-writing) job descriptions and creating or selecting the competencies required for successful job performance, let’s step back for a moment and ask ourselves why we do this in the first place.
Job Descriptions Are About Responsibilities. A Job Description is all about spelling out the basic duties and responsibilities of a job. It generally consists of tasks, what to do, where, when, and why. It’s basically says someone is answerable to someone else for something. Competencies are about being responsible for one’s conduct. They normally consist of behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities required for successful job performance
Job Descriptions Influence Outcomes. Organizations demand results to survive and succeed. Hence, at some point, all necessarily become bottom-line oriented. All steadfastly push employees and managers for results. To be fair, they must define what needs be accomplished.
Communicating Job Descriptions. Every manager should ensure that a Performance Plan containing a Job Description and the Competencies required is in place for their employees at the beginning of the appraisal period and that a Performance Appraisal is conducted at the end of the period. Communicating what an employee is supposed to achieve before they begin working is fundamental to achieving the organization's goals.
Job Description Components. A Job Descriptions spells out the basic duties and responsibilities of a job. It normally consists of tasks, what to do, where, when, and why. See the example at the end of a Fire Fighter. Sometimes morel information is included:
Knowledge Required.
Physical Demands:
Work Environment:
Minimum Qualifications:
Competency Components. Competencies are attributes, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities required for successful job performance. Examples include:
Communication
Decision Making
Developing People
Integrity
Job Knowledge
Problem Solving
Interpersonal Skills
Defining Competency Proficiency Levels. An organization's ability to quantify competency performance levels is imperative if they plan to implement performance-based compensation. The 5 Point Scale is the most common. See the example below.
Competency Libraries. Promantek includes a comprehensive Competency Library with more than 100 individual and managerial competencies to select from for Jobs, sometimes diminishing if not eliminating the requirement for organizations to create their own. Promantek also offers many Industry Competency Libraries containing unique competencies, e.g. Law Enforcement, CPA Firms, Newspapers, Hospitals, Government, Insurance Agencies, Call Centers, etc. Organizations can create their own unique competencies as well.
The Competency Selection Process. The process of assigning Competencies to Jobs varies, usually by organization size.
Small Organizations. Usually the CEO, COO and HR sort through the Competency Library and make decisions quickly.
Mid-Size Organizations. Human Resources collaborates with key managers and executives and collectively they make the decision. Sometimes managers interview employees for their input.
Large Organizations. Sometimes Focus Groups are formed to interview executives, managers and employees. The side-effect is greater participation but at the cost of slowing down implementation.
Competency Weight. The team can assign the same or varying Weights (% of Job) to the competencies.
Establishing Core Competency Sets. Often there is more than one Set.
One Core Competency Set. Some organizations assign the same Core Value Competency Set to everyone. Later, managers have the ability to further define expectations by competency for each employee, e.g. attend a specific training class to improve Job Knowledge. Managers can also assign Individual Objectives to employee, e.g. measurable and quantifiable goals. This approach gets the organization online very quickly.
Several Core Competency Sets. More often organizations define two Core Value Competencies Sets, e.g. one for Individual Contributors and one for Management. Sometimes more Sets are created for each Department, e.g. Administration, Operations, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Operations, etc. Managers again have the same flexibility mentioned above.
No Core Competency Sets. Some customer simply select from the Competency Library those that are appropriate to the Job.
Job Descriptions Are About Responsibilities. A Job Description is all about spelling out the basic duties and responsibilities of a job. It generally consists of tasks, what to do, where, when, and why. It’s basically says someone is answerable to someone else for something. Competencies are about being responsible for one’s conduct. They normally consist of behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities required for successful job performance
Job Descriptions Influence Outcomes. Organizations demand results to survive and succeed. Hence, at some point, all necessarily become bottom-line oriented. All steadfastly push employees and managers for results. To be fair, they must define what needs be accomplished.
Communicating Job Descriptions. Every manager should ensure that a Performance Plan containing a Job Description and the Competencies required is in place for their employees at the beginning of the appraisal period and that a Performance Appraisal is conducted at the end of the period. Communicating what an employee is supposed to achieve before they begin working is fundamental to achieving the organization's goals.
Job Description Components. A Job Descriptions spells out the basic duties and responsibilities of a job. It normally consists of tasks, what to do, where, when, and why. See the example at the end of a Fire Fighter. Sometimes morel information is included:
Knowledge Required.
Physical Demands:
Work Environment:
Minimum Qualifications:
Competency Components. Competencies are attributes, behaviors, knowledge, skills and abilities required for successful job performance. Examples include:
Communication
Decision Making
Developing People
Integrity
Job Knowledge
Problem Solving
Interpersonal Skills
Defining Competency Proficiency Levels. An organization's ability to quantify competency performance levels is imperative if they plan to implement performance-based compensation. The 5 Point Scale is the most common. See the example below.
| Factor or Goal | Technical Skills |
| Definition | Has the functional and technical knowledge and skills to do the job at a high level of accomplishment. |
| Expert | Technical expertise is exceptional. Functional expert. Has become an authority in certain technical areas and has a thorough knowledge of the details. Produces flawless products. Does an outstanding job of keeping functional knowledge up-to-date. |
| Strong | Very knowledgeable in functional area. Very strong technical base of knowledge. Acts as technical resource for others. Produces high-quality work. Very precise and follows through on every task. Stays abreast of current trends in field. |
| Acceptable | Has the required technical skills. Competent and functionally skilled employee. Knows and performs job well. Has a clear understanding of the practices and techniques of the field. Keeps functional skills and knowledge up-to-date. Produces quality work in terms of functional and technical depth. |
| Needs Improvement | Current skill level is inadequate. Frequently is not technically or functionally skilled enough for the job. Doesn't put effort into having an updated technical or functional skill set. Overestimates functional value and value of contributions. Can be a perfectionist or impatient with those less skilled. Field of knowledge is too narrow. Sacrifices building connections that would complement technological base. |
| Unsatisfactory | Is not technically proficient and does not understand the functional aspects of area. Falling further and further behind current trends. Knowledge of functional area is so great that at times overestimates its value and personal worth. Is impatient and sees others as less skilled. Efforts to keep up with current trends in field create personal cost in other areas... |
Competency Libraries. Promantek includes a comprehensive Competency Library with more than 100 individual and managerial competencies to select from for Jobs, sometimes diminishing if not eliminating the requirement for organizations to create their own. Promantek also offers many Industry Competency Libraries containing unique competencies, e.g. Law Enforcement, CPA Firms, Newspapers, Hospitals, Government, Insurance Agencies, Call Centers, etc. Organizations can create their own unique competencies as well.
The Competency Selection Process. The process of assigning Competencies to Jobs varies, usually by organization size.
Small Organizations. Usually the CEO, COO and HR sort through the Competency Library and make decisions quickly.
Mid-Size Organizations. Human Resources collaborates with key managers and executives and collectively they make the decision. Sometimes managers interview employees for their input.
Large Organizations. Sometimes Focus Groups are formed to interview executives, managers and employees. The side-effect is greater participation but at the cost of slowing down implementation.
Competency Weight. The team can assign the same or varying Weights (% of Job) to the competencies.
Establishing Core Competency Sets. Often there is more than one Set.
One Core Competency Set. Some organizations assign the same Core Value Competency Set to everyone. Later, managers have the ability to further define expectations by competency for each employee, e.g. attend a specific training class to improve Job Knowledge. Managers can also assign Individual Objectives to employee, e.g. measurable and quantifiable goals. This approach gets the organization online very quickly.
Several Core Competency Sets. More often organizations define two Core Value Competencies Sets, e.g. one for Individual Contributors and one for Management. Sometimes more Sets are created for each Department, e.g. Administration, Operations, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing, Operations, etc. Managers again have the same flexibility mentioned above.
No Core Competency Sets. Some customer simply select from the Competency Library those that are appropriate to the Job.
Posted by at 2:09 PM in Performance Tips
